We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Otez Gary. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Otez below.

Otez, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

It’s hard to pin point on one story. I can tell you the start of the risks that were taken was when I moved to Chicago almost 14 years ago at 17; first time being on my own; first time feeling free, first time having to figure it all out. The reason to take any risk is to live. If you are afraid of taking a risk then you won’t know how to live a full life. Starting project, reinventing oneself, going to a different career and so on, all of it has risk attached to it. It’s something you learn to accept and understand. It’s also something you learn how to navigate because it can also lead to failed attempts. If your mindset isn’t built to know that you might not have achieved the exact outcome you wanted but there is still a win in the experience that you gain, it can become easy to let the “failure” take over your ability navigate risks.

I have a series I started called The Living Room Series. This series is intended to address the lack of creativity in what we consider performance spaces. Prioritizing Black & Brown owned businesses, we go in and reimagine the space creating a speak easy feel for the night with our sponsors and partners which includes conversation, networking, performance & celebration.

I created the idea for this series almost 3 years ago and finally launched it in August 2023. Sometimes risk can’t be measured in knowing that you have a great idea, sometimes its knowing that you don’t have the knowledge & experience to see this through at the time.

I lost my job In July and finally said this is the time to do it. You have the experience, you have the knowledge, you have your community, lets materialize this idea for you, for your peers and for your dreams.

It was the best decision I could have ever made.

Otez, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve been an artist since I was five years old. I grew up being baby sat by my cousins sometimes and they were always drawing. One day, I saw my cousin playing Zelda so I picked up a pencil and paper and started to draw Zelda as I was seeing it.

I’m originally from Detroit, moved to Chicago back in 2010 right after high school. I went to ILIA-Chicago for Graphic Design & Illustration when it was open. I graduated back in 2013 and never looked at college since (chuckles).

My career journey has been one filled with variety. After graduated college I worked for a Non-Profit design agency called Creative Go Round. I was there for a year before its closure and went into hospitality. I started at House of Blues Chicago in 2013 where I worked as a security guard, server, bartender & private events host. Afterwards I worked at Headquarters in both locations before the one on Sheffield turned into Replay. Managed a hostel for 2 years in Wrigleyville, then supervised a front office at Aloft in River North for 2 years.

I told you all it was a career full of variety. I finally landed in a space where I could use all of my personality, character, experiences & passions. In 2020 I started to work at the MCA Chicago. I was there for 3 years where I served as a Vistor Experience Associate, Curatorial Assistant for Performance & Public Practice and lastly Community Engagement Manager. My roles encompassed being part host, part curator & part programmer.

Right now I’m the founder & lead curator of a new platform called The Living Room Series, which is a platform that reimagines black & brown owned businesses, creating them into a space for conversation and performance. I’m also a graphic designer, illustrator, painter & whatever else I’m called to do.

My whole mission is to show there is no such thing as a ceiling for your dreams. If you want to do something, do it. Never stop yourself from learning a new skill and becoming great at it. That has been my mission, to show you can do all of your dreams at the same time and if you see something missing in your field, create it.

I’m most proud of the people I get the chance to put in spaces to platform their talents. I’ve had a really unique opportunity to work with a lot of artists, businesses and organizations in a very short amount of time. My biggest accomplishments is seeing everyone enjoy themselves and the work.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Society could allow to see it from the creatives point of view without judgement. Be open to everyone’s process even if it isn’t for you it will be for someone else. I would ask anyone that is adjacent to the creative community and it’s ecosystem, to be island for it all and not be privy to siloed experiences. The only way it thrives is if all of it is allowed to and is seen.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Besides seeing the joy of others, I would have to say the most rewarding aspect of being artist/creative is pushing the limits of your concepts. When you know you’ve created something entirely different and can see everyone’s reaction to it be one of validating the intentions you set, has to be by far the most rewarding feeling for me. Anyone who has attended a series of mine and left saying this was the best event I’ve been to in quite some time or this made me feel at home with my family, these affirmations keep me motivated.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/otez.g/ (personal artist page) https://www.instagram.com/the_living_room_series/ (series page)

Image Credits
Seed Lyn & Kayodidthat